What Women Need to Know About Gynecologic Cancers

Thanks to the Pap test, cervical cancer is no longer the leading cause of cancer death for women in the United States. Since it was introduced in the 1940s, the number of cases is down 70 percent and deaths 90 percent. But the Pap test only screens for cancer of the cervix, not other gynecologic cancers, for which there aren’t good screening tests. That’s why it’s vitally important for women to know possible warning signs. You know your body better than anyone and you know when something isn’t right. Pay attention.

Gynecologic Cancers

Uterine (most common form is in the lining of the uterus or endometrium)

Ovarian

Cervical

Vaginal

Vulvar

Dr. Hector Tarraza, chief of obstetrics and gynecology at Maine Medical Center, is a gynecologic oncologist. In other words, his specialty is gynecologic cancer. With his guidance and some additional facts from the CDC, I will pass along information that could save your life. We’ll begin with uterine cancer, which is the most common gynecologic cancer, and the fourth most common cancer overall in women — after colon, lung, and breast cancer.

CANCER OF THE UTERUS

Signs and symptoms

Abnormal vaginal discharge

Abnormal bleeding

Heavier than usual

In between periods

Longer than usual

After menopause

Pain or pressure in your pelvis

Dr. Tarraza stresses that women should not bleed once they have gone through menopause and that it’s critical not to ignore that symptom. “Seventy percent of women who bleed after menopause will not have cancer,” he says, “but you can’t tell, so any woman who has post menopausal bleeding needs a biopsy.”

Risk factors

Age (being over 50)

Obesity

Taking estrogen alone during menopause

Reproductive and menstrual history

Never had children

First period before age 12

Menopause after age 55

Diabetes

High blood pressure

High fat diet

Taking Tamoxifen, a drug used to treat some breast cancers

Family history of uterine, colon or ovarian cancer

What may lower your risk

Maintaining a healthy weight

Being physically active

If you are on estrogen during menopause, adding progesterone

Eating a low fat diet

Birth control pills

CANCER OF THE OVARY

Signs and symptoms

Abnormal vaginal discharge

Abnormal bleeding

Bleeding after menopause

Pain or pressure in the pelvis or abdomen

Back pain

Bloating

Feeling full quickly while eating

Change in bathroom habits

Need to urinate badly or often

Constipation or diarrhea

“The problem with ovarian cancer,” says Dr. Tarraza, “is that there are no good screening tools, it is very difficult to diagnose, and is often discovered too late.”

The tests generally used to diagnose it are transvaginal ultrasound, blood tests, including the CA-125, and pelvic exam. It is just as challenging to treat as it is to diagnose. “Treatment requires a comprehensive approach with surgery, chemotherapy, and in certain cases, radiation,” explains Dr Tarraza.

Risk factors

Age (40 and older)

Family history of ovarian cancer on either side of the family

Personal history of breast, uterine or colorectal cancer

Eastern European Jewish background

Never had children or had trouble getting pregnant

Endometriosis

What may lower your risk

Being on birth control pills for more than five years

Tubal ligation

Removal of both ovaries

Hysterectomy

Giving birth

CANCER OF THE CERVIX

Signs and symptoms

Early stages may have no signs or symptoms

Advanced stages may cause abnormal bleeding or discharge

“The Pap smear is the most important test to detect cervical cancer,” says Dr. Tarraza. “The vast majority of cases are caused by the human papilloma virus (HPV). There is a vaccine to protect you against HPV and in certain situations you can also test for HPV.”

Risk factors

Having HPV

Smoking

Having a compromised immune system

Using birth control pills for five or more years

Giving birth to three or more children

Being the daughter of a woman who took DES during pregnancy increases the risk of clear cell adenocarcinoma of the cervix

About Diane Atwood

For more than 20 years, Diane Atwood was the health reporter on News Center 6. She's now a regular guest on the Morning Report. Before she became a health reporter, Diane was a radiation therapist/dosimetrist at Maine Medical Center. In 2000, she left the world of reporting to manage marketing and public relations for Mercy Hospital. In 2011, she decided to pursue a longtime dream of being a freelance writer and launched her award-winning blog Catching Health with Diane Atwood.
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Diane Atwood

For more than 20 years, Diane Atwood was the health reporter on News Center 6. She's now a regular guest on the Morning Report. Before she became a health reporter, Diane was a radiation therapist/dosimetrist at Maine Medical Center. In 2000, she left the world of reporting to manage marketing and public relations for Mercy Hospital. In 2011, she decided to pursue a longtime dream of being a freelance writer and launched her award-winning blog Catching Health with Diane Atwood.